The correct order
Refining is the final decision—not the first.
A high refine number cannot make the wrong base item efficient. Use the same four-step process whenever a new weapon, armor piece, or accessory appears.
Define the build
Lock the job, damage type, primary stats, and content goal first. Werewolf, Wereraptor, and Human Arcanist do not evaluate the same offensive equipment as interchangeable.
Review Druid buildsChoose the base item
Filter by job, quality, equipment type, subtype, stats, and set effects. Rarity alone does not make an item efficient for the selected build.
Search equipmentValue the complete package
Price the item together with its refine plan, compatible cards, affix targets, and any additional pieces needed to activate the intended set effect.
Plan affixesSelect a stopping point
Choose the checkpoint before spending. A pre-committed target prevents emotional attempts after an unlucky sequence and protects resources reserved for other slots.
Simulate the targetCheckpoint strategy
Plan around protected levels instead of one more attempt.
The current SEA data has a +20 maximum and marks +6, +9, +12, and +15 as safe levels. These recommendations are budget frameworks, not universal requirements for every class or slot.
New accounts and replacement gear
The first three attempts are listed at 100% in the SEA refine data. Use +3 as the inexpensive baseline for equipment already in your active loadout.
Risk note: The attempt from +3 to +4 is the first listed step with a failure chance.Early progression and F2P cores
Build a stable primary set before chasing higher numbers. +6 is the first safe checkpoint modeled by the Refine Simulator and a practical stopping point for secondary slots.
Risk note: Safe does not mean the final attempt is guaranteed; reaching +6 still consumes materials and attempts.Main weapon and long-term pieces
Push selectively. A damage dealer should normally prioritize the main weapon and proven long-term equipment instead of raising every slot evenly.
Risk note: The current +7 to +8 and +8 to +9 rows include downgrade probability.Established builds
Treat +12 as a deliberate project. Confirm the base item, set effect, cards, and affix direction before committing Enriched Oridecon and repeated Bound Zeny costs.
Risk note: Recovery from an unsuccessful sequence can cost much more than the visible price of one attempt.Optimized or high-budget characters
Do not use endgame refine materials to rescue a weak equipment choice. The base item and complete build package should already be correct before this stage.
Risk note: The +15 to +20 band uses HD Oridecon and sits beyond the final listed safe checkpoint.Materials and risk bands
The material changes when the project becomes more expensive.
Each attempt also consumes Bound Zeny in the simulator data. The visible price of one row is only the starting point because repeated attempts and downgrade recovery can multiply the total.
+0 → +10Oridecon
Used by simulator rows starting at refine levels +0 through +9.
+10 → +15Enriched Oridecon
Used by simulator rows starting at +10 through +14.
+15 → +20HD Oridecon
Used by simulator rows starting at +15 through +19.
The simulator exposes row-specific support options such as Blessing, No Downgrade, and Meteoric Iron where the loaded data enables them. Compare the displayed rates and material consumption before activating support.
Where resources go first
Prioritize the slot that advances the build—not the lowest number.
Default first priorityMain weapon
For damage-focused progression, the main weapon usually provides the clearest offensive return and should receive the first selective push toward a higher checkpoint.
Exception: Tanks and supports may gain more practical value from survival, healing, or utility equipment.
Build-enabling prioritySet-defining equipment
A piece that completes an essential set effect can outrank a stronger isolated item. Confirm that the full set is realistically obtainable before investing premium materials.
Exception: Do not preserve a weak set after its effect stops matching the build or content.
Raise the weakest linkArmor and survival slots
After the offensive core is stable, improve severely under-refined armor rather than overinvesting in one slot while the rest of the loadout remains fragile.
Exception: A specific encounter may justify prioritizing the defensive stat that solves its actual failure condition.
Finish after the coreAccessories and flex pieces
Accessories become efficient when their base stats, cards, and affixes reinforce the same finalized build. Delay premium investment when replacement is likely.
Exception: A uniquely strong effect can move an accessory earlier, but the complete cost still matters.F2P budget rule
Separate maintenance, progression, and high-risk materials.
Spending everything on one refine session can improve one slot while freezing the rest of the account. Keep three resource buckets so ordinary progression continues even when a checkpoint takes longer than expected.
Maintenance reserve
Bound Zeny and common materials kept for routine upgrades, replacement pieces, and normal progression.
Checkpoint fund
A fixed pool for the selected target, such as one main weapon moving from +6 toward +9.
Premium protection reserve
Scarcer support or high-tier materials held for rows where the displayed risk and long-term value justify their use.
Before starting, write down the target checkpoint and the maximum resources available for the session. Stop when either limit is reached—even after a downgrade.
Common mistakes
Most wasted materials begin before the refine button is pressed.
Refining temporary gear
Confirm that the item will remain equipped long enough to justify its materials, cards, affixes, and Bound Zeny before pushing beyond the baseline.
Leveling every slot equally
Equal refine numbers look tidy but may delay meaningful power. Fund the build-defining weapon or set first, then stabilize weak defensive slots.
Treating one attempt as the cost
The real budget includes repeated attempts, downgrade recovery, support materials, and resources no longer available for other progression systems.
Using support materials automatically
Check the current row and simulator effect first. Support value changes with the success, downgrade, and failure distribution of the attempted level.
Ignoring cards and affixes
A refine level cannot repair a base item whose stat package, card plan, or affix direction conflicts with the class build.
Chasing losses
Stop at the selected checkpoint or resource limit. An unlucky sequence does not make the next attempt more deserving of the account's remaining budget.
Complete planning path
Evaluate every layer of the finished item.
Equipment DatabaseFilter base items, jobs, quality, types, stats, and set effects.Refine SimulatorInspect rates, failures, downgrades, materials, and projected costs.
Affix PlannerAlign the item's additional stats with the selected build.Card DatabaseSearch card bonuses before committing valuable cards to a slot.
Shop DatabaseCheck listed shop items and currencies while planning acquisition.
Beginner ProgressionFit equipment spending into the broader first-week resource plan.Frequently asked questions
Refining and equipment FAQ
What are the safe refine levels in the RTNW Hub simulator?
The current SEA refine data marks +6, +9, +12, and +15 as safe checkpoints. The simulator models failure as returning to the nearest safe checkpoint at or below the current level.
What refine level should an F2P player target first?
A practical route is to establish active equipment at +3, build the core set toward +6, then push only the main weapon or proven long-term pieces toward +9. Higher checkpoints should be separate projects.
Should I refine my weapon before armor?
For most damage-focused builds, the main weapon is the default first priority. Tanks, supports, and characters blocked by survivability may need to prioritize defensive or utility equipment instead.
Does a safe checkpoint mean the attempt is guaranteed?
No. A safe checkpoint is a protected stopping level in the simulator model. The attempt required to reach that checkpoint can still have a success rate below 100 percent.
When should I use the Refine Simulator?
Use it before committing materials to compare rate changes, downgrade exposure, Bound Zeny consumption, support options, and the volatility between the current level and intended checkpoint.
Data and update policy
Rates and material bands come from the RTNW Hub SEA refine dataset.
The +20 maximum, safe checkpoints, success, downgrade and failure behavior, material bands, Bound Zeny costs, and support controls are checked against the data and logic used by the Refine Simulator. Slot priorities, stopping rules, and F2P budgeting are editorial recommendations and may change as equipment systems or live-server strategies evolve.